Showing posts with label Best Paris Shops. Paris shopping by Arrondissement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best Paris Shops. Paris shopping by Arrondissement. Show all posts

Monday, 3 May 2010

Paris Shops: Caverne a Fripes

You'll find this unassuming little shop in the 18th Arrondissement on
You can take the Metro to Rue Des Abbesses and you are just a couple of blocks away. Walk down Rue Des Abbesses turn on Rue Houdon and look for the little yellow sign. When you get there you walk down a few steps to enter into this cavern like double room full of dusty little gems.
I love this little place as it is real Parisian thrifting. The racks are bursting with stuff, there are piles in every corner and the shop owner is a slightly surly but loving gentleman who plays chess and smokes cigarettes while you shop.

We pulled out these as some of our favorite finds.
This one because doesn't every gal need a moo moo covered in zodiac symbols?
Yet shoppers keep in mind... I wouldn't really haggle with this guy, and I'll tell you the story of why in this little tale about a certain Guy Laroche silk jacket. You see I spotted this beautiful Guy Laroche silk jacket. I must admit it really was a find. It was in great vintage condition and priced quite reasonably at 20 Euros. But personally I AM going against the US dollar and I WAS thinking I would want to change the buttons and Hey, I AM just a single girl living on a single girls budget (excuses, excuses). So we were bold and asked if that would be his final price. I know, I know I should have just left well priced, in good condition, vintage designer lie but I figured well why not? Who knows? It can't hurt to ask. Well yes... yes in fact in CAN hurt to ask. He gave us this look of calm disbelief and in a grunt that can only be achieved with many years of experience (in shopping as well as smoking) he said "Mais, c'est Guy Laroche, et ce n'est pas cher". Needless to say I did blush a little and place the jacket down for a minute, more to regain my pride and re check my wallet. But as I did he picked up the jacket, scribbled something on it's label and disappeared into the other room. We put our attention else where but all the time I was thinking of my Guy Laroche, where he had taken it and what he had written on it's now very attractive price tag. When I found it, just as I expected he had remarked the jacket at 30 euros!.... Ouch. Sometimes I should just keep my big mouth shut. At that point I was too embarrassed to ask for it at the original 20euros (damn my pride) So... Ok fine Monsieur, well played. You win this one.

But then to ease my troubles I spotted this on the way out!
and at 10 euros it was within my meager single gals budget. So THERE, take that! She's mine now and isn't she wonderful?! I also felt better when I paid and Monsieur gave me a sweet little wink as well as a "Bonne Journée", insuring that all is fair in Love, War and Vintage Shopping! Go visit Canverne et Frips and Tell Them Taryn Sent You! Happy Shopping but beware do NOT mock the prices!

taryn xx

Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Paris Shops: Mercy, Merci!

Prepare to feast you eyes on the beautiful Merci!


You can find this marvel of a shop in the 3rd Arr. @ number 111 on
just at the corner of Rue Du Pont Choux

So here's the story behind this fantastic place they call Merci as I heard it. Ah hem. So, basically the daughter of the family owned Bonpoint sold the business and with that money opened up this fabulous Boutique! In a desire to "give back" all of Merci's proceeds go to charity (except for what it takes to upkeep and run it I would assume). Which should help to ease the guilt you may experience due to to the inevitable damage you will do to your wallet here! This ain't your average charity shop. Merci carries top designers such as: Vanessa Bruno, Isabel Marant, YSL, and APC... to name a few. There are 3 floors of incredible (if not exactly fugal) shopping here including Women's, Men's and Children's apparel, a Home Store, a Flower Shop, a Parfumerie, Accessories, Shoes and Furniture. I know, I know it's kind of a wonderland!

My beautiful friend Lee (who was introducing me to this shop) arranged to meet me in the cafe on the first floor. Before we got down to business Lee had a cafe creme and I downed a mix of fresh fruit juice (yum!) to fuel up. Directly after we walked upstairs to scope things out. We immediately gravitated to the expansive women's clothing section (of course)!
Then I got distracted...Oh no, oh wait. What is this? It can't be. Don't let me do it! Don't let me touch it. If I touch it, I swear I may just go running out of here in a frantic fashion frenzy and not look back! Someone please, move me away from this rack!
Oh sheesh... I think we are going to have a problem here....
Jacket by Swilden (above)

I was also loving this line
and when I saw how they tagged their clothes
dress for dress, jacket for jacket, shirt for shirt. It just put me over the edge. Too sweet! I fell in love with this one!
among other things...
Forte_Forte

and then when I thought I couldn't possibly desire any more. Out of the corner of my eye I see this
I thought my super natural shopping powers were trying to tell me something. There's vintage in the gosh darn house people!

I wanted this
and this
again.... among other things....

The Home section is a dream
and we found these rolled up/rip off napkins and place mats to be so clever!

The children's section is packed with well, Bonpoint of course! A short little stroll through here had my empty womb calling out to me to go and get myself knocked up immediately! The clothes are just too adorable. Lee was asking if they had things in her size! I just started looking around for a potential baby daddy...

Every thing here is laid out and merchandised in such an appealing way. You really just want to wonder around, look and unfortunately for whomever is footing the bill, buy everything. Because there really isn't much you CAN'T buy at Merci! Including molded face masks?!
a selection from the parfumerie
gorgeously arranged little bundles from the flower shop
and some
Yeah sure, ok, why not? If you can wrap that up I'll take that too!

On the way out Lee spotted a little grill that you can attach to your car/terrace to BBQ outside (is that legal??) Hopefully we will give it a whirl and find out next week!
No matter what you're looking for stop by Merci! and Tell Them Taryn Sent You! Honk honk and Happy trails! Bisous.
~taryn xx